Linda Shear

Senior Learning Consultant

Linda Shear is an evaluator and senior learning consultant, helping public and private sector clients to understand and maximize the classroom effectiveness and learning outcomes of the programs they deliver. Recent evaluation projects she has led range in focus from systemic change (both domestic and international) and youth development/college readiness to 21st century learning and environmental science inquiry. Linda has extensive experience in facilitation, using CTL's Theory of Change process to help leadership teams articulate their goals and assumptions about educational change for use in program design and evaluation.

In a prior life, Linda was a technology consultant and executive educator with Price Waterhouse and with Lotus, with a primary focus on the business and organizational aspects of information technologies. Linda has an M.A. in Education in Math, Science, and Technology from UC Berkeley.

Education

M.A., Education in Math, Science, and Technology, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
A.B., Sociology, Princeton University, 1984

Professional Experience

Senior Learning Consultant, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (1998-present)
Researcher/Consultant, University of California, Berkeley, CA (1996-1998)
Senior Manager and Curriculum Architect, Lotus Development Corporation, San Francisco, CA (1993-1996)
Senior Manager, Price Waterhouse, San Francisco, CA (1986-1992)
Programmer/Analyst, Combustion Engineering, Windsor, CT (1984-1986)

Research Areas at CTL

Assessment
Evaluation
Learning Environments

Current Projects at CTL

Past Projects at CTL

Center for Innovative Learning Technologies (CILT) ended 2003
Educator's Knowledge Network Evaluation (Leader) ended 2007
Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's National High School Program (Leader) ended 2006
Evaluation of the GLOBE Program ended 2006
Globe Visualization (Leader) ended 2003
KnowledgeWorks Foundation strategic consulting (Leader) ended 2006
Technology & Math Learning Strategic Alliance (Leader) ended 2006

Publications

Shear, L. & Gorges, T. (2008, March). Knowledge management for Program Improvement: Developing and leveraging capacity at the San Diego County Office of Education. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
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Shear, L., Means, B., Mitchell, K., House, A., Gorges, T., Joshi, A., Smerdon, B., & Shkolnik, J. (2008) "Contrasting Paths to Small School Reform: Results of a 5-year Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s National High Schools Initiative." Teachers College Record, 110(9), p. 1986-2039.
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SRI International. (2007). "I think it makes me not give up on dreams. What students say about HERO." Interim Report for College Success Foundation. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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House, A., Shear, L. F., Cole, S., Wolman, M., Joshi, A., & Uekawa, K. (2006). Findings from the Evaluation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's National School District and Network Grants Program: The Challenge of Sustaining High-School Reform. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, 2006 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
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Means, B., Murphy, R., Shear, L., Gorges, T., Hu, P., & Sussex, W. (2006). Implementing Reading and Mathematics Software. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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Penuel, W. R., Bienkowski, M., Korbak, C., Molina, A., Russo, D., Toyama, Y., et al. (2005). GLOBE Year 9 evaluation: Implementation supports and student outcomes. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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Penuel, W. R., Shear, L., Korbak, C., & Sparrow, E. (2004, April). The roles of regional partners in supporting an international science inquiry program. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
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Shear, L., Bell, P., & Linn, M.C. (2004). Partnership models: The case of the deformed frogs. In M. C. Linn, E. A. Davis, & P. Bell (Eds.), Internet Environments for Science Education (pp. 289-311). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
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Penuel, W. R., Korbak, C., Lewis, A., Shear, L., Toyama, Y., & Yarnall, L. (2003). GLOBE Year 7 evaluation: Exploring student research and inquiry in GLOBE. Menlo Park: SRI International.
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Shear, L., & Smerdon, B. (2003, April). Mapping the terrain: Year 1 of the evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's National School District and Network Grants Program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago.
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Shear, L. (2002). CILT2000: Technology, equity, and K-12 learning. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 11(3), 291-2.
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Shear, L., & Penuel, W. R. (2002). Putting the ‘learning’ in adventure learning: Design principles for technology-supported classroom inquiry. Journal of Curriculum Supervision, 17, 315-335.
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Means, B., Penuel, W. R., Crawford, V. M., Korbak, C., Lewis, A., Murphy, R. F., Shear, L., Villavicencio, C., Vinson, E. Y., & Yarnall, L. (2001). GLOBE Year 6 evaluation: Explaining variation in implementation. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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Penuel, W. R., Michalchik, V. Kim, D., & Shear, L. (2001). The Organization of Learning in Community Technology Centers: Learning with Technology in Six Communities. Menlo Park: SRI International.
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Penuel, W.R., Michalchik, M., Kim, D., Shear, L., Daniels, M., Jennings, P., Stites, R., & Yarnall, L. (2001). Community technology centers case study report: Learning with technology in six communities. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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Linn, M.C., Shear, L., Bell, P. & Slotta, J.D. (1999). Organizing principles for science education partnerships: Case studies of students’ learning about ‘Rats in Space’ and ‘Deformed Frogs’. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(2), 61-85.
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Shear, L. (1998). Innovation in urban school settings: Integrating contexts and tools in support of learning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA, April 13-17, 1998.
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Shear, L. (1998). When science learners are language learners: Designing linguistically aware instruction to teach science "the knew way". (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Berkeley, CA: University of California at Berkeley.
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